Recipe: Southwestern chicken and pasta

Recipe: Southwestern chicken and pasta

Dietitian's tip: To reduce the amount of sodium in this recipe, use homemade salsa instead of store-bought salsa. To make the salsa, combine chopped fresh tomatoes, diced onions and peppers, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

Serves:
4

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked whole-wheat rigatoni

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each 4 ounces, cut into cubes

1/4 cup salsa

1 1/2 cups canned unsalted tomato sauce

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup fresh or canned corn

1/4 cup shredded CoJack (Colby and Monterey Jack) cheese

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.